Obama shows his funny side while promoting Obamacare

Comments

A-- If you didn't like it, you probably felt like most of us felt when we
saw Romney talk about the 47%.

B-- I still have trouble with the DN
allowing rough and rude comments about this President, while anything I write
that suggests that lds might be wrong (they are human beings, no?) comes back
rejected.

SvenMorgan, UT

March 13, 2014 2:35 a.m.

Look, I know this is hard pill for you leftists to swallow, but the fact is,
Obamacare is an abject disaster. Socialized Medicine always is. And to those
who are trying in vain to blame the GOP for Obamacare’s woes, please
remember, not one Republican voted for this. Speaker Pelosi rammed this through
the House with little or no time for members to carefully read this huge piece
of legislation, that would take over 1/6 of our economy.

Surely you
remember Speaker Pelosi’s words regarding ACA: “But we have to pass
the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of
controversy.” Well, now we’re finding out what’s in it, and
it isn’t good. If it were as good as you folks on the Left say it is,
Dear Leader wouldn’t have to keep postponing, delaying, and outright lying
about. I mean if it’s so good, will help so many, and will save so much
money, why all the delays?

You can try and blame the Republicans and
Fox News, but the fact remains, Obama and the Democrats own this disaster we
call Obamacare.

Gram CrackerPrice, UT

March 12, 2014 9:25 p.m.

I want a president who has personal dignity. I want a first lady who does not go
on TV to dance and act like a California girl. I want to respect my president
and first lady, not get sick watching their goofiness on TV.

NoodlekaboodlePoplar Grove, UT

March 12, 2014 4:44 p.m.

@DavidIt's because people under 30 don't watch any of those
media outlets. People in that age range watch videos on the internet. Which is
why it makes sense to make this video. The people that they want to sign up for
insurance get their media through this type of source.

gmlewisHouston, TX

March 12, 2014 2:56 p.m.

I am a frequent FOX news viewer, but I also get my news from other local,
national, and international sources (in various languages). Admittedly, FOX
news has a significant conservative bent, and I feel free to adjust for that.

However, they are a good source for lots of facts that correspond
to the other news sources. The only FOX program that I have no use for is
Hannity's diatribe. His rudeness undercuts his credibility.

The big difference between FOX news and the other news outlets is that FOX
won't "let sleeping dogs lie." When the current administration
messes up, the other news sources report it for a few days and then drop it when
the administration fails to explain what really happened. FOX news reports it
the first few days, and then keeps on reporting on it month after month and year
after year.

Until the current administration offers a meaningful
explanation, FOX will keep on reporting on it. Of course the liberals want to
call it an invalid news source, and wish it would go away.

SchneeSalt Lake City, UT

March 12, 2014 1:16 p.m.

@Sven"Now these people are being forced to purchase more expensive
policies with higher deductibles and higher premiums"

You just
say that and hope it's true. There's primarily two types of plans
people were dropped.

One that has basically all the stuff they need
to be ACA compliant minus one thing or another and those people would find a
similar plan on the exchange at similar cost. Most of these people are working
for companies that have already switched to a different policy anyway so
it's really not 4.7 million being thrown off if most of them have different
insurance.

The second group of people will have more expensive
policies for sure because they had junk plans before that barely covered
anything and was pretty much insurance in name only.

"like a
good totalitarian, Obama tells these insurance companies they can reinstate
these canceled health plans "

That's what he gets for
listening to people like you... you all complain, he does something, then you
complain he did what you wanted.

Oh, and you clearly ignored the
several million left off of Obamacare without insurance because Republican
governors didn't take the Medicaid expansion.

GaryOVirginia Beach, VA

March 12, 2014 12:31 p.m.

Sven- "4.7 million people lost their insurance coverage?"

WRONG . . . see what I told you about FOX "NEWS" and other Right Wing
propaganda outlets? It's standard operating procedure for them to lie,
mislead, and confuse. That non-fact made the rounds, and a lot of people voiced
it, but it's still false. It's been thoroughly debunked.

Check the Washington Post Fact checker or Politifact.

Most of those
people did not lose coverage even for a millisecond. Their plans were
automatically switched over to plans that met the basic criteria for the ACA.

Right Wingers have been programmed not to accept facts, when they can
just reject the facts with hazy charges of liberal bias in the Lame Stream
media.

Most of the rest of your "facts" are inaccurate
too.

And what does it matter what percentage of the 4.2 million
people who have signed up already had coverage? I liked the coverage I had, and
I didn't sign up for ObamaCare. Is that bad or good in Right Wing logic.
Why should it matter?

Happy Valley HereticOrem, UT

March 12, 2014 11:27 a.m.

IMAPatriot2 said to, Gary O: "FOX "NEWS" is to real news as
Professional Wrestling is to the Olympics.""Really? You just
dismissed the intelligence of millions of Americans who find Fox News
interesting, informative, and objective. "

I missed this in my cut and paste from my Word doc...should've been the
lead sentences:

"So let me see if I understand this; Obamacare is
the law of the land, yet Obama is still out trying to sell this disaster?
Thought you Liberals said Obamacare was a raging success? So what gives?"

SvenMorgan, UT

March 12, 2014 11:03 a.m.

Here’s what gives:

* 4.7 million Americans lost their insurance
coverage under the “Individual Mandate” portion of Obamacare.
Insurance companies were mandated under the ACA to drop coverage to be in
compliance with the law. Now these people are being forced to purchase more
expensive policies with higher deductibles and higher premiums

* In
November, like a good totalitarian, Obama tells these insurance companies they
can reinstate these canceled health plans (see above). Unfortunately if these
companies do this, they’ll be breaking the law. Guess he thought this
meaningless gesture would provide himself and the Democrats some temporary
cover.

* In February Dear Leader delayed the “Employer
Mandate” portion of Obamacare for businesses with 50-99 employees until
2016. Now why would he do this? This will make the 4.7 million who lost their
coverage small potatoes…and the Dems know this.

* Only 3.3
million people have signed up for Obamacare. Of the 3.3 million who’ve
signed up, less than 500,000 were previously uninsured. This is contrary to
what Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and other Liberals told us.

Nothing funny
about it.

IMAPatriot2PLEASANT GROVE, UT

March 12, 2014 10:05 a.m.

Gary O: "FOX "NEWS" is to real news as Professional Wrestling is to
the Olympics."

Really? You just dismissed the intelligence of
millions of Americans who find Fox News interesting, informative, and objective.
It amuses me that people who use this tired accusation have the ability to
dismiss the feelings and views of millions of others with such a cavalier
statement. I suspect it says more about the accuser than those being accused.

IMAPatriot2PLEASANT GROVE, UT

March 12, 2014 9:58 a.m.

LOU Montana: I'm glad you are enjoying your health care cost and
deductible. You can thank the rest of us for financially supporting your good
fortune. The Democrats and the President passed a law that makes the 99% pay
for the 1% in the name of caring? I single out the Democrats and the President
because there was NO support outside of these elected officials for this law.
It was unilaterally passed and now those who "passed it without reading
it" are scrambling to distance themselves from it or making fools of
themselves by trying to defend it. It was a tax on mostly the middle class and
is a job killer at best. I'm sure there is a better, less costly, and more
efficient way to provide this service.

Eli Tesecular PhDSalt Lake City, UT

March 12, 2014 9:22 a.m.

Obama's performance was excellent. I look forward to seeing him co-star in
Hangover 5.

HutteriteAmerican Fork, UT

March 12, 2014 9:11 a.m.

This was my first exposure to this 'show' or whatever it is. The
president was a bit too serious, and the host really isn't very funny at
all. He just seems incoherent.

KDaveMoab, UT

March 12, 2014 8:51 a.m.

Nixon went on Laugh-in to try to redeem his popularity. We know how that turned
out.

JamescmeyerMidwest City, USA, OK

March 12, 2014 8:39 a.m.

I would suppose the sort of young audience that watches this show would consist
primarily of those young people who've already signed up (or those
who've been able to successfully).

And David, thank you for your
comments. I don't have animosity against the President for being on this
show; but I'm disappointed in what he's done and said, and more
especially at the way people who support him in such things so inaccurately
deride me and people like me.

Using sound reason and looking at
things as they really are without being forced into compliance by peer pressure
or what's "popular" politically or socially, but dismissed as
biased or brainwashed? Being ridiculed at work for smiling and laughing more
often than everyone else, but told here that I need a laugh track to know when
something's funny? Do you realize how insane (and unconvincing) this is?

DavidCenterville, UT

March 12, 2014 8:33 a.m.

GaryO, Happy Valley Heretic,

Nice assumptions, but I don't watch
FOX news. I get my news from the Deseret News, Salt Lake Tribune, Time
Magazine, KSL radio. I do online research when the liberal media reports
don't pass the scratch test.

Where do you get your news? I am
sure it is a balanced, fair source.

Utefan60Salt Lake City, UT

March 12, 2014 8:34 a.m.

LOU Montana, It is your experiences of a good thing with The Affordable Care
Act that makes Conservatives just cringe....because you were able to really get
insurance! This is something they never have provided.

A very close
friend of mine in the Pharmaceutical Industry was caught in a huge layoff this
week. He had always criticized "Obama care" per his company's
line. He called me and said that under Cobra it would cost him $3,000 per month.
He went online, (quite reluctantly) and found coverage for $400.00/month for
his whole family. They had preexisting conditions too.

He said he
had to reevaluate his thinking. His company let many go because they were highly
paid employees and soon eligible for huge bonus payouts. They were let go due to
Corporate greed. He is so thankful that he has insurance coverage under a
program that he had bad mouthed. Many of us are thrilled that ACA is in force!
Thanks to a great President!

Happy Valley HereticOrem, UT

March 12, 2014 8:18 a.m.

So what have we learned here...conservatives need a laugh track to sense
humor.Conservatives have a lot of difficulties signing up for Obamacare.
(or I suspect they are just repeating stories they heard on the radio)Fresh air is apparently repeating the same nonsense over and over without any
new info or merit.

Obama goes on a comedy show and is funny.Previous President provided hours of laughs, not on comedy shows though.

David said: How can you be so sure? Because your world
perspective, you friends, and your sources of information tell you so?I
would have an easier time believing you if you hadn't followed your comment
above with the Fox top 10 propagandized stories of the Obama administration.

mohokatOgden, UT

March 12, 2014 6:07 a.m.

Obama, funny side. What I saw was corny. I don't think anything about Obama
is funny. He is a bad dream come true,

LOU MontanaPueblo, CO

March 12, 2014 6:04 a.m.

To those who hate Obamacare; please tell me when the cost of healthcare ever
went down? Please tell me why they raised the rates on your insurance? Please
tell me why employers are dropping healthcare coverage?

Does the
word "Greed" ring a bell?

LOU MontanaPueblo, CO

March 12, 2014 5:48 a.m.

Obama is a much classier person then GW ever could hope to be. I recently
became unemployed, made to much to get Obamacare assistance and I am a cancer
survivor. Chances of getting any type of personal health insurance during the
Bush years would have been impossible. The insurance companies love the words
"PRE-EXISTING CONDITION" and that would be the end of your life.

Yesterday I purchased for the wife and I health insurance for less than
$500 a month with a low and reasonable deductible and no problem with my
"PRE-EXISTING CONDITION"! The GOP must be having a fit with people like
me.

If you have ever been sick or have had a sick child you will
never forget or forgive being denied for "PRE-EXISTING CONDITION".

United we stand, divided we fall. The GOP just does not get this!

IMAPatriot2PLEASANT GROVE, UT

March 12, 2014 5:27 a.m.

Actually, I don't think this was funny. I think it was demeaning for a
president. Bad taste.

GaryOVirginia Beach, VA

March 12, 2014 4:19 a.m.

David - It was Charles Krauthammer who said FOX "NEWS" provides and
"alternate reality." I was surprised he admitted it, but I absolutely
agree with him on that point.

The billionaire plutocrat Rupert
Murdoch introduced FOX "NEWS" in 1996 to create and sustain a population
of malleable minds who would willingly accept personal sacrifice to support a
corporatist anti-American agenda . . . essentially a mass of pliable peons who
would do the bidding of self-serving wealthy.

Obviously he succeeded.
Now "Conservatives" regard FOX "NEWS" as gospel and relegate the
old stalwarts to the lamestream-media category. CBS, ABC, and NBC, who brought
us news of the D-Day invasion and the Kennedy assassination are now diminished
and disrespected as "Leftist Propaganda," in the minds of Right
Wingers.

But here I am, still living in the Land of Reality.
Fortunately there are still enough of us realists around to point out the error
of your ways.

. . . You're welcome.

NatePleasant Grove, UT

March 11, 2014 11:26 p.m.

Wow. How could Obama possibly look more pathetic and desperate?

DavidCenterville, UT

March 11, 2014 9:21 p.m.

GaryO,

It is interesting that you are quite convinced that it is the
conservatives that are "so successfully propagandized" and live in
"an alternate reality".

How can you be so sure? Because
your world perspective, you friends, and your sources of information tell you
so?

Very interesting indeed.

Obama tells the news and
nation that the IRS did not target specific groups to delay or deny certain
status prior to the election. Then we discovered that was not true.

Obama tell the nation that you can keep your insurance and your doctor. Then
we discover that was not true.

Obama ridicules Romney for stating
that Russia is a world power risk. Well, we've discovered Romney was right
and Obama was wrong.

Obama blames the Benghazi uprising on a video.
We discover that was not true.

Obama says he will not raise taxes on
the middle class. Well, we've discovered that is not true.

Are
conservative really being duped? Or is it liberals?

samhillSalt Lake City, UT

March 11, 2014 7:34 p.m.

Ya'know, it's good the President knows when to take a joke and how to
roll with the punchlines. But, most of all, I wish it weren't necessary to
do so.

Unfortunately, even he, deep down inside, must acknowledge
that his greatest "achievement", even his very namesake, Obamacare, will
go down in history, as it has in the mere six months it has been
"active", as a monumental joke.

Worst of all, as a
monumentally **bad** joke, with the country having to pay the price for it.

one voteSalt Lake City, UT

March 11, 2014 7:30 p.m.

The desperation of the politicians who have staked there careers on defeating
the popular affordable health care act like the Texas congressman add to the
humor. Zak should have on Senator Lee and Cruz next.

atl134Salt Lake City, UT

March 11, 2014 6:27 p.m.

@Mountanman"For millions of the rest of us, its like a breath of fresh
air!"

That opposes virtually any form of clean air regulations.

ute alumniSLC, UT

March 11, 2014 5:44 p.m.

obamacare is the joke, it just isn't funny

Uncle RicoSandy, UT

March 11, 2014 5:39 p.m.

My deductible went from $1500 to 7k... I'm glad somebody thinks this is
funny.

It lets you escape into a make-believe world where certain
horrible truths never rear their ugly heads, and you can forget the horrible
history of Right Wing leadership in this nation. In the fantasy world of FOX
"NEWS," all those years of Right Wing malfeasance never happened.

And David, you misunderstand me. Obama can communicate through
legitimate news media, but the malleable "Conservative" minds (so
successfully propagandized by the likes of the Koch brothers and Rupert
Murdoch)have diminished and reassigned the mainstream media to the "lame
stream" media. And that incredible alternate reality, that fantasy world of
FOX "NEWS," has supplanted reality as the preferred basis of worth.

What Right Wingers can't seem to understand is that a delusion is
still a delusion, even if it is shared by millions.

The Right Wing
Supermen of Hitler's Third Reich had to learn the hard way. I hope
American "Conservatives" can eventually be more receptive to reality.
And the sooner, the better.

Utefan60Salt Lake City, UT

March 11, 2014 4:55 p.m.

His communication was brilliant. Everyone today at the gym was looking at the
sketch. It had everyone's attention. He is a brilliant leader and as for
Fox news, how can people even listen to that stuff. It is just commercial spin
without much truth.

I'm so proud of our President. Even Fox
News said that the Republicans should take note.

Dr. ThomLong Beach, CA

March 11, 2014 4:42 p.m.

Since December I have tried to signup for healthcare through the ACA website.
Having gotten to the point where I wanted to select a healthcare plan, I hit a
logical loop that took me back to the start of the application process. The APA
help-desk suggested that I delete my original ACA application and reapply, since
this logical loop has happened before, and this workaround apparently seems to
be effective. When I asked what would happen if her suggestion became untenable,
she responded "It shouldn't take ten times to get the system to
work."

So, after deleting my previous account and starting from
scratch, I was able to get 75% of the way through the process only to get a
system error. Starting over for the ninth time, I completed the process and
selected my medical plan. Since I qualify fro a $865.00 a month credit, the only
option was The Coventry Health and Bronze Deductible which has a $12,000
per-person deductible and a $15,000 family, so until I cross the magic threshold
of $13,500 per annum, everything will be out of pocket.

In the end,
the ObamaCare pays Coventry $10,380.00 per year for healthcare I cannot afford
to use.

DavidCenterville, UT

March 11, 2014 4:20 p.m.

GaryO,

If ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, etc provide such great information and
truth, why can't Obama communicate and get his message out through those
outlets?

Does the entire country only get their news through FOX so
Obama must go to comedy network programming to get his message out?

Or, is Obama...

...simply a joke?

MountanmanHayden, ID

March 11, 2014 4:13 p.m.

Gary O. If you don't like Fox News, don't watch it! For millions of
the rest of us, its like a breath of fresh air!

GaryOVirginia Beach, VA

March 11, 2014 3:39 p.m.

It's no surprise the Right Wing publication, The National Review, would
heap criticism on Obama for appearing in a comedy sketch.

But
communication is communication. And Obama really can't communicate through
a Right Wing Propaganda outlet that takes his message and distorts it beyond
all recognition.

What Right Wingers fail to realize is that their
Right Wing publications are much less reflective of reality than programs like
the Colbert Report. Colbert and John Stewart can convey truths, while Right Wing
Propaganda outlets seek to hide the truth and substitute ridiculous spin.